Any one want to join me in waiting for eggs, posting and comparing notes?

[jklyles1]

Not a lot going on with our little blog , where is everyone? I have bad news, I lost my partridge plymouth rock, Liza, to a flying predator. I'm so sad. I'm now down to 2 from my original 4. The other 2 are fine but do you think they realize she's gone? i started back to work full time and was leaving them out all day to free range which probably was a bad idea, but, they were so much happier. So, I guess the other 2 will lose their unsupervised free range privileges.

Sorry to hear Kd. Its so hard to decide to leave them out to be happy or lock them up to be safe

 

[nakstk]

My EE was 35 weeks when she laid her first egg, she was taken by a hawk and was killed just 6 days later. You just have to give them time. These shorter days will slow doesn't help either. Chickens need 14 hours of day light for egg production. I added a 2w LED light to my girls coop. I went from 0 and 1 egg per day to 2 eggs per day. It doesn't add any extra heat and its just enough extra light to increase egg and feather production. My girls are just finishing up their molting.

Good luck and give them time!

 

[jtbass2756]

Not a lot going on with our little blog , where is everyone? I have bad news, I lost my partridge plymouth rock, Liza, to a flying predator. I'm so sad. I'm now down to 2 from my original 4. The other 2 are fine but do you think they realize she's gone? i started back to work full time and was leaving them out all day to free range which probably was a bad idea, but, they were so much happier. So, I guess the other 2 will lose their unsupervised free range privileges.

I am so sorry about your lose.. I'm a first timer with my chickens (at least as an adult) and I worry all the time about predators. Before I got them I read everything I could about it and my little coop is like a little Ft. Knox. My husband called me a little OCD about it but I have this fear of having to go pick up pieces. I do not let them free-range because our yard is 2 acres and doesn't have a lot of bushes/trees for them to find refuge. I am building a lightweight run that I can move around the yard but haven't gotten it finished yet. My coop is just 10x4' but they have room under their laying area. Today I went out there and put in a cheap long mirror along one side of it and then a milk crate full of straw and if that wasn't enough...a small pile of leaves. At first you would have thought I had put an enemy right in their midst..::LOL..but after I got it all straight, I went around and sat and watched them. They were so funny! My big brahma was the first to get into the leaves, one of the RIR and my golden laced wyndotte attacked the mirror. I didn't stay out there to watch the other RIR but she is more shy about everything. wish I had a web-cam so I could watch from inside! But I really got on here to tell you about the hawk I saw yesterday. We have a playground set up in the center of the yard (playhouse,2 swing sections), I looked out and saw a hawk sitting on the end nearest my coop. This was my first siting...at least to know for sure that they had seen my hens. I went down to the other end of the house with my .22 pistol so I could get a line of site that wouldn't endanger any other houses...(and for those who are jumping to a conclusion...no I wasn't going to shoot the hawk...illegal!).....I figured I would let go of a couple of rounds into the ground below it to scare it off. Well, I let go ALL of the ammo in the weapon + the clip.....shot everywhere around it and that sucker never even moved!!!! I finally went out on the deck and he flew away. DANG! I knew they were around but my coop is under the front wing of our shed so you can't even see it from the road. But that bird finally saw it from the west end. Now, I'm going to have to watch it really good.! I have anxiety about predators.

 

[jajeanpierre]

My Americauna is somewhere between 30 and 36 weeks old and still isn't laying. Any thoughts?

Is this a purebred Ameraucana or a hatchery bird? If it's from a hatchery (I note you spell the name with an "i" which is how the hatcheries spell the name) it is unlikely to be a purebred Ameraucana. Ameraucanas seem to be a bit late to mature. I don't know about the hatchery birds, which usually are Ameraucanas crossed with something else, often better egg layers like Leghorns.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I went down to the other end of the house with my .22 pistol so I could get a line of site that wouldn't endanger any other houses...(and for those who are jumping to a conclusion...no I wasn't going to shoot the hawk...illegal!).....I figured I would let go of a couple of rounds into the ground below it to scare it off. Well, I let go ALL of the ammo in the weapon + the clip.....shot everywhere around it and that sucker never even moved!!!! I finally went out on the deck and he flew away. DANG! I knew they were around but my coop is under the front wing of our shed so you can't even see it from the road. But that bird finally saw it from the west end. Now, I'm going to have to watch it really good.! I have anxiety about predators.

It's illegal to harass a hawk, regardless of how many chickens it might kill. Hawks are everywhere, you just might not see them.

Why don't you get a rooster or two? A good rooster will warn everyone and have been known to defend their flock to their death.

I hope you are not my neighbor. I would hate to have a neighbor that is shooting off a .22 around houses.

 

[jtbass2756]

We live way out in the country and the closest neighbor is a member of a team who shoots in competition.....I would never do anything to worry them. We are close in our use of weapons....he shoots a lot of .45 and .357. We both have a lay of land that lends itself to shooting down toward a stream. It would actually take an effort to be careless enough to be a bother to each other. We do not live in a suburban or city area, or an area of subdivisions. Please don't jump to conclusions about my abilities with my weapon or the fact that I would do anything to put anyone in harms way. As far as the hawk......he was far from being in danger. I was hoping the sound would scare him away. I know for a fact that we have many predators in my area....This is just the first time that one had actually landed in my yard for lack of trees/bushes, etc. As far as the rooster, I am planning to have one in service by next spring but since I'm just starting out this year, I didn't want to deal with hatchlings, etc. I have limited coop space. I knew someone would say something about the "harassment' of the hawk, that's why I said what I did when I did in my message. Hawks are beautiful birds of prey that help keep the rodent population under control, especially in our rural area....I just don't want them to get comfortable near my chickens. They have huge/tall trees along the back of my lot in which they sit and keep an eye on things. This one just got to close for comfort yesterday. My amazement was that he repeated sounds of the .22 didn't rattle him.

 

[jajeanpierre]

This one just got to close for comfort yesterday. My amazement was that he repeated sounds of the .22 didn't rattle him.

When I lived in the Virgin Islands, the falcons would migrate south and perch on the stacks of the oil refinery. I was amazed the incredible noise of one of the largest oil refineries in the world didn't faze them.

Most predators need to learn to hunt something that is not natural prey. The hawk might not have been interested in your chickens, although this time of the year is the most dangerous as the the newly fledged hawks are on their own now and will be having a hard time finding food. Starving juvenile raptors are the most dangerous as they are desperate. Starvation is a leading cause of death of juvenile hawks. You certainly don't ever want to give them the opportunity to learn that chickens are food, though.

Dogs and roosters will do a lot to discourage predation, as long as your dog doesn't become one of the predators.

 

[jtbass2756]

I haven't thought about the time of year with relationship to the hawk's presence. LOL as far as my dog??...LOL That 8lb toy is scared of his own shadow and would also be just right for a good meal wouldn't he?? I haven't thought about him being out by himself. I have been wary of him being outside at night due to the coyote, wolves, etc...hmmmm...! I always have a .38 on me when I'm at the coop just because I'm away from the safety of the house and being by myself...but just really never gave a lot of thought to my small dog. Thanks for making me aware of the situation with the hawks. I built it so that a hawk would have a really hard time getting thru the 14" hardware cloth and another layer of just chicken wire. (That's why I added the layer of hardware cloth)I do appreciate them taking care of the rodents in the fields around our house but haven't thought about there not being able to feed well.

 

[kdwag]

We live way out in the country and the closest neighbor is a member of a team who shoots in competition.....I would never do anything to worry them. We are close in our use of weapons....he shoots a lot of .45 and .357. We both have a lay of land that lends itself to shooting down toward a stream. It would actually take an effort to be careless enough to be a bother to each other. We do not live in a suburban or city area, or an area of subdivisions. Please don't jump to conclusions about my abilities with my weapon or the fact that I would do anything to put anyone in harms way. As far as the hawk......he was far from being in danger. I was hoping the sound would scare him away. I know for a fact that we have many predators in my area....This is just the first time that one had actually landed in my yard for lack of trees/bushes, etc. As far as the rooster, I am planning to have one in service by next spring but since I'm just starting out this year, I didn't want to deal with hatchlings, etc. I have limited coop space. I knew someone would say something about the "harassment' of the hawk, that's why I said what I did when I did in my message. Hawks are beautiful birds of prey that help keep the rodent population under control, especially in our rural area....I just don't want them to get comfortable near my chickens. They have huge/tall trees along the back of my lot in which they sit and keep an eye on things. This one just got to close for comfort yesterday. My amazement was that he repeated sounds of the .22 didn't rattle him.

That's crazy , clearly they are used to sounds of that sort?? My poor girls won't even leave their run and hardly their coop, I can't tell if it's because the one is molting and she's cold (it's been cold and windy) or if they are still paranoid? I'd love a rooster, but with only 2 hens, not a wise idea. I have read that hawk killings increase in the colder weather, which make sense, they probably have less rodents to target.So I will let them free range but only if I'm with them, I guess--Ohy

 

[Melabella]

Hello Everyone here who participated in our egg waiting thread. My many apologies for being missing in action. Life has sure been throwing curve balls at me all year, and I hope this new year brings much better fortune. It can always be worse, so I hope to not sound like I'm complaining, but boy I miss when I had a bit more time to come here every day.

Let's all give an update as to where we are at with out chickens, and what we hope the New Year brings with them, what do you think?

My little flock brought us many eggs and delight throughout the year. Being the hatchery crew that they are I am eager to see how their second laying season will go. Eggs started tapering off around late November, and throughout December we were down to about 2-4 a day from the 9 hens I had. They all have seemed to go through their first serious molt, but all at different stages. Some molts were more serious than others. Where my first rooster Duke had ravaged the girls breeding with them all the time, it's nice to see all the feathers back and them looking plump and full. I was wondering if my second rooster Clark would still be mounting them throughout the molt but I haven't seen much of that going on at all. Do they know the girls aren't laying, and slowdown themselves? I stopped giving them layer feed, and bumped up to game bird feed thru the molt. Out of the 9, one seems to still be losing feathers but the others are all new feathered out.

In spirit of this thread, I wonder when they will start laying again? My first egg last year came on New Year's Eve from 5 month old girls. It will be interesting to see if they lay as prolific as last season. I think not but am hoping for at least 5 a day from the 9 girls. I hope to get a second dream flock this year, but need a coop first. Been looking for some used ones or a shed I can convert.

How are your flocks doing? I'd love to get updates!
Happy New Year to everyone, wishing you all the best!

Carmela